Mud mixer

ABSTRACT

A mud mixer comprises a housing defining a battery mounting portion, an electric motor supported by the housing, a mixing element that selectively receives torque from the motor, causing the mixing element to rotate about a rotation axis, and a battery pack removably coupled to the battery mounting portion for providing power to the electric motor when coupled to the battery mounting portion. When the battery pack is coupled to the battery mounting portion, the rotation axis intersects the battery pack.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/475,560 filed on Mar. 23, 2017, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to power tools, and more particularly tomud mixing power tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When using a mud mixer, an operator can use multiple handles to securelygrasp and orient the mud mixer. A chuck key is used to adjust a chuck ofthe mud mixer. A battery pack is mounted on a battery mounting portionof the mud mixer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides, in one aspect, a mud mixer comprising a housingdefining a battery mounting portion, an electric motor supported by thehousing, a mixing element that selectively receives torque from themotor, causing the mixing element to rotate about a rotation axis, and abattery pack removably coupled to the battery mounting portion forproviding power to the electric motor when coupled to the batterymounting portion. When the battery pack is coupled to the batterymounting portion, the rotation axis intersects the battery pack.

The invention provides, in another aspect, a mud mixer comprising ahousing, an electric motor supported by the housing, a mixing elementthat selectively receives torque from the motor, causing the mixingelement to rotate about a rotation axis, a first handle coupled to thehousing and defining a handle axis, and a second handle moveably coupledto the housing and moveable between a first position, in which thesecond handle is arranged along the handle axis, and a second position,in which second handle is not arranged along the handle axis.

The invention provides, in yet another aspect, a mud mixer comprising, ahousing, an electric motor supported by the housing, a chuck thatselectively receives torque from the motor, causing the chuck to rotate,the chuck configured to hold a mixing element, a handle coupled to thehousing, the handle including a retention mechanism and a chuck key fortightening and loosening the chuck. The chuck key is selectivelyretained in the handle by the retention mechanism.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent byconsideration of the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a mud mixer.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1, with asecond handle moved to a second position with respect to a body.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1, with portionsremoved.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1, witha collar removed.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front plan view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1, with achuck removed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a collar of the mud mixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of a collar of the mud mixer of FIG.1.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a second handle of the mudmixer of FIG. 1, with portions removed.

FIG. 10 is a top-down enlarged plan view of a second handle of the mudmixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged side plan view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1, withportions removed.

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a mixing element for use with the mud mixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is another embodiment of a mixing element for use with the mudmixer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the mud mixer of FIG. 1 with a firsthandle, a second handle, and a battery pack contacting a supportsurface.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood thatthe phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a rotary power tool, such as a mud mixer10, includes a drive mechanism 14 and a spindle 18 rotatable about arotational axis 22 in response to receiving torque from the drivemechanism 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive mechanism 14 includes anelectric motor 26 and a multi-stage transmission 30 between the motor 26and the spindle 18. The multi-stage transmission 30 rotates the spindle18 at one speed, but in other embodiments is capable of rotating thespindle 18 at more than one speed. A chuck 34 surrounds and is coupledfor rotation with the spindle 18. The chuck 34 is configured to hold amixing element 36 for mud mixing, such as a bit or a paddle as shown inFIGS. 13 and 14. The mixing element 36 can be two sided as shown in FIG.13 or four sided as shown in FIG. 14.

The mud mixer 10 has a tool body 38 that includes a main housing 42 toencase the motor 26 and a gear case 46 to encase the transmission 30. Asshown in FIG. 5, the exterior of the gear case 46 includes a toothedportion 50 including peaks 54 (e.g., ribs) and valleys 58 (e.g.,recesses) that extends slightly more than 180 degrees around thecircumference of the gear case 46. The gear case 46 also includesbiasing members 62 (shown only in FIG. 6), such as leaf springs, set incircumferential recesses 66 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and biased radially outward.Each biasing member 62 includes a nipple or protrusion 70. In theillustrated embodiment, two biasing members 62 are used; however, infurther embodiments fewer or more biasing members may be used.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the mud mixer 10 includes a first, primary handle74, which is fixed with respect to the tool body 38, and a second,auxiliary handle 78, which is selectively moveable with respect to thetool body 38 (FIG. 2). The first handle 74 defines a handle axis 82. Asshown in FIG. 1, when the second handle 78 is in a first position whereit is set opposite of, or 180 degrees from the first handle 74, thesecond handle 78 lies along the handle axis 82, such that the first andsecond handles 74, 78 are in-line along the handle axis 82. The in-linearrangement makes it easy for an operator to hold the first and secondhandles 74, 78 and operate the mud mixer 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,both the first handle 74 and the second handle 78 are arranged within aplane 84 that is an expansion of the handle axis 82 in a directionperpendicular to the rotation axis 22 and the length of the tool body38. No matter how the operator moves the second handle 78 with respectto the tool body 38, the second handle 78 remains within the plane 84.The second handle 78 has a 180 degree range of movement, e.g. rotation,about the tool body 38, corresponding to the toothed surface 50 having acircumferential range that is nominally greater than 180 degrees aroundthe gear case 46. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 15 and explained in furtherdetail below, the second handle 78 is moveable within the plane 84 fromthe first position to a second position in which the second handle 78 isnot in-line with the first handle 74 (i.e., moved off the handle axis82).

As shown in FIG. 4, the first handle 34 includes a trigger 86, a slideswitch 90, a lock-on button 92, and a rotatable dial 94. Together theseinput controls may be used jointly or separately to control functions ofthe mud mixer 10, such as turning the motor 26 on and off, rotating themixing element 36, reversing rotation of the mixing element 36, andincreasing or decreasing the speed of rotation. The lock-on button 92permits the operator to operate the mud mixer 10 without needing tocontinuously depress the trigger 86. The trigger 86 is biased to anextended “off” position in which the motor 26 is not actuated, and isdepressible to an “on” position in which the motor 26 is actuated.

When an operator fully depresses and holds the trigger 86 in the “on”position, then presses and holds the lock-on button 92, then releasesthe trigger 86 before releasing the lock-on button 92, the lock-onbutton 92 mechanically prevents the trigger 86 from returning to theextended “off” position by holding the trigger 86 in apartially-depressed “locked-on” position in which the motor 26 runswithout the operator needing to hold the trigger 86. To unlock thetrigger 86 from this “locked-on” position, the operator fully depressesthe trigger 86 again, which causes the lock-on button 92 to disengagefrom the trigger 86, thus allowing the trigger 86 to return to theextended “off” position once the operator releases the trigger 86 again.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6-8, the mud mixer includes a collar 98 thatis selectively moveable about the mud mixer 10. As shown in FIGS. 7 and8, the collar 98 has a cylindrical portion 102 and an arm 106 extendingrearward from the cylindrical portion 102. The cylindrical portion 102is arranged about the gear case 46 of the mud mixer and has an innercircumferential ribbed surface 110 with peaks 114 and valleys 118. Eachof the valleys 118 is configured to receive the nipple 70 of one of thebiasing members 62. The collar 98 defines a lock bore 122 that extendsthrough the arm 106. In some embodiments, the lock bore 122 is threaded.The arm 106 has fastener holes 126 and a hub 130 with a recess 134. Thelock bore 122 leads to a plate recess 136 that is disposed between thearm 106 and the cylindrical portion 102.

The second handle 78 includes a lock lever 138 that is pivotable betweena first, locked position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and a second, unlockedposition (not shown). The second handle 78 also includes a shoulderscrew 142 shown in FIG. 5 that is coupled to the lock lever 138 suchthat rotation of the lock lever 138 causes rotation of the shoulderscrew 142. The shoulder screw 142 extends through the second handle 78,through the lock bore 122 and into the plate recess 136 of the collar98. A lock member, such as engagement plate 146, is disposed within theplate recess 136, such that the engagement plate 146 selectively engagesand disengages the toothed portion 50 of the gear case 46 when theshoulder screw 142 respectively moves in and out of the plate recess136. The engagement plate 146 includes protrusions 150 that are adaptedto selectively and lockingly engage in the valleys 58 of the toothedportion 50. In other embodiments, the shoulder screw 142 is removed andthe engagement plate 146 independently moves towards and away from thetoothed portion 50 when the second handle 78 is rotated, by virtue ofits position in the plate recess 136 and the protrusions 150 interfacingwith the peaks 54. In yet other embodiments, the engagement plate 146 isremoved and the shoulder screw 142 acts as a lock member that directlyinterfaces with the toothed portion 50 to selectively lock and unlockthe collar 98.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second handle 78 also includes couplingfasteners 154 adapted to couple to the second handle 78 to the collar98, via the fasteners' 154 engagement in the fastener holes 126 in thearm 106 of the collar 98. As shown in FIG. 11, the interior of thesecond handle 78 includes a hub recess 158 adapted to receive the hub130 of the collar's arm 106. An elongated hub fastener 162 fixed alongthe interior length of the second handle 78 threadably engages therecess 134 so as to secure the second handle 78 to the collar 98 alongthe length of the second handle 78 and give the second handle 78additional rigidity, for example, in case the mud mixer 10 is dropped.The shoulder screw 142, the coupling fasteners 154, the lodging of hubs130 in the hub recess 158, and the hub fastener 162 in the recess 134securely couple the second handle 28 to the collar 98 for selectivemovement about the tool body 38 with the collar 98.

As shown in FIGS. 9-11, an outermost portion of the second handle 78defines an interior key recess 166 and a bore 170, which can secure achuck key 174. As is understood by persons of skill in the art, thechuck key 174 can tighten the chuck 34 to secure the mixing element 36within the chuck 34 or loosen the chuck 34 to allow removal of themixing element 36 from the chuck 34. The chuck key 174 includes atoothed portion 178 and a rod portion 182. As shown in FIGS. 9-11, thekey recess 166 is shaped such that the toothed portion 178 of the chuckkey 174 fits within the key recess 166. The rod portion 182 of the chuckkey 174 slides into the bore 170 and secures the chuck key 174 in thesecond handle 78 via a retention mechanism 186, which is arranged arounda perimeter of the bore 170. In the illustrated embodiment, theretention mechanism 186 is an O-ring that creates friction fit againstthe rod portion 182, which prevents the rod portion 182 from slippingout and thereby holds the chuck key 174 in the second handle 78.However, in other embodiments the retention mechanism 186 can beanything capable of permitting a frictional fit for the chuck key 174.Thus, the chuck key 174 for the chuck 34 of the mud mixer 10 is alwaysavailable and accessible via the second handle 78, but it is securelystored out of the way when an operator does not need it.

The mud mixer 10 is powered by a battery pack 188 mounted in a batterymounting portion 190 at the rear of the mud mixer 10. As shown in FIG.12, the battery mounting portion 190 is a slot 194 including rails 198and grooves 202 configured to respectively engage with correspondinggrooves and rails of the battery pack 188, to allow the battery pack 188to be removably coupled to the battery mounting portion 190. The batterymounting portion 190 includes battery contacts 206 that are electricallycoupled to a controller (not shown) within the mud mixer 10. The batterycontacts 206 are arranged to contact the terminals of the battery pack188 when the battery pack 188 is mounted in the battery mounting portion190.

As shown in FIG. 12, the battery mounting portion 190 is arranged on themud mixer 10 such that the rotational axis 22 of the spindle 18intersects the battery mounting portion 190. Thus, when the battery pack188 is mounted in the battery mounting portion 190, the rotational axis22 intersects the battery pack 188 as well, as shown in FIG. 4. Thisarrangement of the battery mounting portion 190 and battery pack 188with respect to the rotational axis 22 provides the mud mixer with aproperly balanced weight distribution when an operator holds the mudmixer 10 with the first and/or second handles 74, 78. In someembodiments, the battery mounting portion 190 is also arranged such thatthe battery pack 188 is symmetrically arranged about the rotational axis22 when the battery pack 188 is mounted in the mounting portion 190. Insome embodiments, the battery pack 188 is arranged in horizontallysymmetrical manner with respect to the rotational axis 22 and in otherembodiments the battery pack 188 is arranged in vertically symmetricalmanner with respect to the rotational axis 22. In still otherembodiments, the battery pack 188 is arranged in a vertically andhorizontally symmetrical manner with respect to the rotational axis 22.

In operation, if the operator wants to move the position of the secondhandle 78 with respect to the tool body, the operator rotates the locklever 138 counter-clockwise from the locked position to the unlockedposition. Rotation of the lock lever 138 causes the shoulder screw 142to rotate counterclockwise through the lock bore 122 of the collar 98and away from the plate recess 136. Movement of the shoulder screw 142out of the plate recess 136 allows the engagement plate 146 to separatefrom the toothed portion 50, such that the collar 98 and the secondhandle 78 are no longer locked with respect to the tool body 38. In theembodiment where no engagement plate is utilized, the shoulder screw 142separates from the toothed portion 50. The operator is now able to movethe second handle 78 and the collar 98 with respect to the tool body 38and about the longitudinal axis 22. As the operator moves the secondhandle 78, the second handle 78 stays within the plane 84.

Once the operator has decided on a new position for the second handle 78and collar 98, the operator allows the protrusions 70 of the biasingmembers 62 to set within the valleys 118 of the ribbed surface 110 atthe new position. The operator then rotates the lock lever 138clockwise, causing the shoulder screw 142 to rotate clockwise throughthe lock bore 122, into the plate recess 136 and against the engagementplate 146. This causes the one or more protrusions 150 of the engagementplate 146 to once again engage in one or more valleys 55 of the toothedsurface of the gear case 46. In the embodiment where no engagement plateis utilized, the shoulder screw 142 interfaces with the toothed portion50 directly when the lock lever 138 is set to the locked position. Thecollar 98 and the second handle 78 are now locked in a new position withrespect to the tool body 38, as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 15, when the second handle 78 is moved within the plane84 from the first position to the second position, in which the secondhandle 78 is not in-line with the first handle 74 (i.e., moved off thehandle axis 82), an operator may set the mud mixer 10 down such that thefirst handle 74, the second handle 78, and the battery pack 188 mountedin the battery mounting portion 190 all contact a support surface 210and thereby respectively act as the three legs of a tripod, while themixing element 36 is elevated above the support surface 210. The mudmixer 10 and the battery are weighted such that the battery pack 188,and not the mixing element 36, acts as the third leg of the tripod, inorder to keep the mixing element 36 off the support surface 210 when theoperator sets the mud mixer 10 down.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mud mixer comprising: a tool body defining abattery mounting portion; an electric motor supported by the tool body;a mixing element that selectively receives torque from the motor,causing the mixing element to rotate about a rotation axis; a firsthandle integrally coupled to the tool body and defining a handle axis; asecond handle moveably coupled to the tool body and moveable between afirst position, in which the second handle is arranged along the handleaxis, and a second position, in which second handle is not arrangedalong the handle axis; and a battery pack removably coupled to thebattery mounting portion for providing power to the electric motor whencoupled to the battery mounting portion, wherein when the battery packis coupled to the battery mounting portion, the rotation axis intersectsthe battery pack.
 2. The mud mixer of claim 1, wherein the second handleis moveable about the tool body between the first and second positionswithin a plane that is an extension of the handle axis in a directionperpendicular to the rotation axis, and wherein the second handle has a180 degree range of movement about the tool body with respect to thefirst handle.
 3. The mud mixer of claim 1, wherein when the secondhandle is in the second position, the first handle, the second handle,and the battery pack all contact a support surface, and the mixingelement is elevated above the support surface.
 4. The mud mixer of claim1, further comprising: a chuck that selectively receives torque from themotor, causing the chuck to rotate, the chuck configured to hold themixing element; and a chuck key for tightening and loosening the chuck,wherein the second handle includes a retention mechanism configured toselectively retain the chuck key.
 5. The mud mixer of claim 1, whereinthe battery pack is symmetrically arranged about the rotational axiswhen the battery pack is coupled to the mounting portion.
 6. A mud mixercomprising: a tool body; an electric motor supported by the tool body; amixing element that selectively receives torque from the motor, causingthe mixing element to rotate about a rotation axis; a first handleintegrally coupled to the tool body and defining a handle axis; and asecond handle moveably coupled to the tool body and moveable between afirst position, in which the second handle is arranged along the handleaxis, and a second position, in which second handle is not arrangedalong the handle axis, and wherein the second handle has a 180 degreerange of movement about the tool body with respect to the first handle.7. The mud mixer of claim 6, further comprising a collar coupled formovement about the tool body with the second handle.
 8. The mud mixer ofclaim 7, further comprising a lock member moveable between a lockedposition, in which the lock member engages a surface of the tool body,such that the collar is locked to the tool body and the second handle isnot moveable with respect to the tool body, and an unlocked position, inwhich the collar and the second handle are moveable with respect to thetool body.
 9. The mud mixer of claim 7, wherein the collar includes acylindrical portion arranged about the tool body and an arm extendingfrom the cylindrical portion, and wherein the second handle is coupledto the arm.
 10. The mud mixer of claim 9, wherein the arm includes ahub, and wherein the second handle includes a hub recess in which thehub is arranged.
 11. The mud mixer of claim 10, wherein the hub includesa recess, and wherein an elongate hub fastener is fixed along aninterior length of the second handle and engages the recess so as tosecure the second handle to the collar.
 12. The mud mixer of claim 9,wherein the collar defines a lock bore that extends through the arm, andwherein the second handle includes a lock lever moveable between alocked position, in which the second handle and the collar are notmovable with respect to the tool body, and an unlocked position, inwhich the second handle and the collar are movable with respect to thetool body, and wherein the second handle includes a fastener extendingthrough the lock bore toward the tool body, the fastener being coupledfor movement with the lock lever, such that when the lock lever is inthe unlocked position, the fastener is farther away from the tool bodythan when the lock lever is in the locked position.
 13. The mud mixer ofclaim 12, wherein an engagement plate is coupled to the fastener, andwherein when the lock lever is in the locked position, the engagementplate is engaged against the tool body, and wherein when the lock leveris in the unlocked position, the engagement plate is spaced from thetool body.
 14. The mud mixer of claim 13, wherein the tool body includesa toothed portion that is engaged by the engagement plate when the locklever is in the locked position.
 15. The mud mixer of claim 14, whereinthe toothed portion includes a plurality of valleys, and wherein theengagement plate includes a plurality of protrusions configured toengage in the valleys when the lock lever is in the locked position. 16.A mud mixer comprising: a tool body; an electric motor supported by thetool body; a chuck that selectively receives torque from the motor,causing the chuck to rotate, the chuck configured to hold a mixingelement; a first handle integrally coupled to the tool body and defininga handle axis; a second handle moveably coupled to the tool body andmoveable between a first position, in which the second handle isarranged along the handle axis, and a second position, in which secondhandle is not arranged along the handle axis, the second handleincluding an elongate bore extending parallel to or coaxial with thehandle axis when the second handle is in the first position; and a chuckkey for tightening and loosening the chuck, the chuck key including atoothed portion and a rod portion that extends perpendicular to thetoothed portion, wherein the the rod portion of the chuck key isselectively received in the elongate bore of the second handle.
 17. Themud mixer of claim 16, wherein the second handle includes a key recessconfigured to receive the toothed portion of the chuck key when the rodportion is received in the elongate bore.
 18. The mud mixer of claim 16,further comprising an o-ring arranged about the elongate bore, such thatwhen the rod portion of the chuck key is received in the elongate bore,the rod portion extends through and is secured in the elongate bore bythe o-ring.